Controversial “No Otter” Zone Eliminated Off South Coast

Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 12:41am

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week issued a final rulemaking to end a well intentioned, but failed program to try to help re-establish rare sea otters in the Channel islands.

When the action is finalized in January, it will also mean an end to a controversial no-otter zone off our coastline which was part of a compromise deal with the fishing industry to try to limit the size of the otter population.

KCLU’s Lance Orozco looks at the decision, and the years of debate, and court action which led to it.